Jaundice in newborns not a cause of worry: Experts

Chennai

Dr Gopinath Rao, neonatologist, says, “Unlike in adults, the liver in newborns is not mature. When the red blood cells are broken, they produce a chemical called bilirubin. In developed livers it is processed and cleaned: this is not possible in a new-born. If the level of this chemical goes up it can affect the newborn’s brain,” he adds.

Unconjugated jaundice is common, while conjugated jaundice is not, they say. And it is the latter category that is the cause for concern, says Dr Rao. “When jaundice prolongs for weeks, it will be investigated for the  second category.”

He also points out that children suffer from breastfeeding jaundice. It develops after the first four to seven days of life, persists longer than physiological jaun dice and has no other identifiable causes. “But that doesn’t mean the mother should stop breastfeeding. The size of the baby, gestation time and blood groups and infections are all determinants of the condition,” he says.

Dr Madhuri Prabu, nenonatal-paediatrician, says that there are a number of factors that contribute to the condition, including blood group incompatibility with the mother. “If the haemoglobin levels drop and the jaundice levels rise, there are chances of mortality as well. This does not happen often and can be prevented with monitoring. If the jaundice occurs before 24 hours of birth it is a cause for worry. A drastic drop in weight, close to 14-15 per cent, has to be immediately addressed and the baby is given phototherapy or even blood transfusions,” she says.